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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: roll · present · bulb · lie · mark · stand · foot · capital

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — a measure
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. present — a gift
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. present — the time now
  8. roll — a cake
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stand — to bear
  11. capital — a city
  12. present — there
  13. mark — a grade
  14. capital — money
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bulb — for light
  20. lie — to recline
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. bulb — for light
  24. roll — a list

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com